All the winds were contrary,
the moon had grown to fullness,
and the fish could only groan,
the weather was so bad,
when our goodly king Rodrigo
was sleeping with La Cava
inside a splendid treasure-house,
its walls well-dressed with gold.
Three hundred cables made of silver
held up the treasure-house,
and inside there were maidens fair
all wondrously arrayed:
fifty of them played the music
with strangest harmonies,
and fifty more were singing with
the sweetest melodies.

One of the maidens then spoke up -
she was called Fortuna:
"If you're asleep, good King Rodrigo,
I pray you, please wake up.
You will see your horrid fate,
and your worst dying moments,
you will see your people dead,
your battle order broken,
and every towns and all your cities
destroyed in a single day.
Your castles and your strongholds too
another lord will rule.
And if you ask who did this deed
I'll tell you straight away:
it was that Count called Julián
for love of his one daughter
because you have dishonoured her
and he had none but her.
He was heard to swear an oath
that will cost you your life."

He awoke in great distress
from that voice he heard;
and with a sad and anguished face
this was his reply:
"Many thanks to you, good Fortune,
for this message you bring."

And while he was saying this
someone came with news
of how the Count, Don Julian,
was laying waste to his lands.